Lawn renovating machine



May 14, 1946. s'. J. LINDsKoG u 2,400,204

LAWN RENOVATING MACHINE `Filed March 15,Y 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 55am/0 J. mos/06 BY HTTORMEY Patented May 14, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWN RENOVATING MACHINE Segfrid J. Lindskog, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application AMarch 13, 1944, Serial No. 526,226

4 Claims.

This invention relates to lawn renovating machines of the general character embodied in my application for Letters Patent led September 8, 1941, under Serial No. 410,015, which has matured into Patent No. 2,253,345, and discloses and claims a machine for removing pest growths such as Bermuda grass and other ground-creeping runners and vines from lawns.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lawn renovating machine which is structurally characterized by novel and ingenious means rendering the machine capable of being conveniently and quickly adjusted to vary the depth of the cutting action of its rotary cutting element with respect to the lawn surface, in order that a light, medium, or heavy cut can be taken depending on the thickness of the pest growth, soil conditions, etc.

A further object of the invention is t Provide a lawn renovating machine Whose rotary cutting element is demountably associated with theA machine for removal of the element as a unit therefrom, and convenient disassembling of the element to inspect its anti-friction bearings and replaces worn cutting blades with ease and dispatch, all while insuring thatrin its installed position, the cutting element will be rigidly supported and will be maintained in a centered and alined relationship vto its driving mechanism and to all other parts of the machine with which it must be operatively associated to function with4 maximum eiciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lawn renovating machine which can be oo nveniently rolled idly from one place to another with its cutting element sufficiently elevated from the ground to prevent damage to the element; and which includes a guard or deector for the cuttings, mounted and rendered adjustable to control the discharge of cuttings from the cutting element, for most eflicient operation oi the element and convenience of the operator.

With these and other objects in View the invention resides in the comhinationsand arrangements of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.-

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view of the lawn renovating machine in front elevation; l

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and with a depth setting or predetermining means adjustable for a relatively light cut;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 2, but with the depth setting means adjusted for a relatively heavy cut;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the cutting element and its mounting, taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of a portion of the machine frame with which the cutting element is alined and centered; and

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 2.

Referring specically to the drawings, the invention in its present embodiment comprises a frame F composed of two side channel members I0 and Il rigidly connected and spaced in parallism by tie rods I2 and I3 for co-action in providing a mounting for a working or cutting element C and for a pair of wheels I4. These wheels are journaled on the outer portions of stub axles I5, the inner portions of which project through slots I6 in the frame members I0 and Il, and are welded, brazed, or otherwise fixed to inner and outer guide blocks I1 and I8 slidable against opposite sides of the frame members to mount the wheels for adjustment on the frame F vertically with respect to the cutting element C, to vary the depth of cut to be taken by the latter, all in a manner to be later described.

Links 20 are pivotally connected at one end to the inner end portions of the axles I5, and are pivotally connected at the other end to arms 2l projecting from the side members 22 of a yoke 23 pivotally mounted by means of its side members on the tie rod I3, and having a socket 24 in which the lower end of a handle 25 is secured bya bolt 26, for guiding of the machine by an operator when holding the handle at a convenient angle in trailing relation to the machine.

At its upper end and inner side, the member I0 of the frame F is provided with spaced tracks (Figure 5) forming a guideway for a channel slide 3| having a pin 32 projecting into a slot 33 in the upper end of one of the members 22 of the handle yoke 23, to operatively connect the latter to the slide. The slide 3| is also provided with an opening 34 receiving a corner portion of a nut 35 (Figure 4) through which is threaded a feed screw 36 having a knob 31 and being coniined between the slide and frame member I0 against axial displacement, by collars 38 and 39 iixed to the screw to abut opposite side edges of the member I IJ as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Rotation of the knob 31 will cause the screw 36 to feed the nut 35 and hence the slide 3| longitudinally of the screw so that the pin 32 of the slide will co-act with the slot 33 in the yoke member 22 to pivot the handle 25 about the axis of the tie rod I3 and to shift the stub axles I5 in the slots I6 through the medium of the links 28 and arms 2|, thus changing the vertical relationship of the cutting element C to the wheels I4 so as to vary the'depth of cut to be taken by the element. As the nut 35 cannot drive the screw 36, the cutting element will be locked in any position of vertical adjustment relative to the wheels.

The cutting element C (Figure 6) comprises an axle 48 passing through center openings in double ended cutting blades 4| spaced apart on the axle by sleeves 42, and maintained in helical relationship by passing through helically arranged slots 43 in an open ended blade reinforcing and guard cylinder 44 within which the axle 48 is maintained centered by disks 45 and 46 fitting snugly in the ends of the cylinder 44 as clearly shown in Figure 6.

The ends of the axle 48 which project from the cylinder 44 are threaded to receive nuts 41 and 48, with the nut 41 permanently fixed to the axle by a diametric pin 49 and abutting the disk 45 so as to provide a shoulder or enlargement on one end of the axle. Between the other removable nut 48 and the cylinder 44 is a driven pulley 58, By means of the nut 48, the pulley 58, disks 45 and 46, sleeves 42 and cutting blades 4| are clamped tightly together so as'to rotate as a single rigid unitary structure.

Mounted on the nuts 41 and 48 are the inner races 55 of anti-friction bearings 56, which races are supported in co-axial relationship to the axle 48 by annularly flanged centering disks 51 entering the races and secured to the axle by screws 58 whose at heads seat in countersunk openings in the disks, and whose shanks are screwed into the ends of the axle. The outer races 68 of the bearings 56 seat in cup-shaped housings 6| having diametric tongues 62 adapted to fit between the webs of the frame members I8 and II to prevent rotation of the housings relatively thereto. Projecting from the tongues 82 coaxially of the housings are attaching studs 65 which are adapted to enter slots 66 formed in the frame members I8 and I| (Figures l and 7) opening to the lower ends of the members.

Mounted on the studs 65 are centering washers 18 which are adapted to seat in annular centering recesses 1I formed in the outer sides of the frame members I8 and Il, with the slots 66 radially related to the recesses. The outer ends of the studs 65 are threaded to receive nuts 12 which co-act with other washers 13 and with the centering washers 18 to rigidly secure the housings 6| 'and hence the bearings 58 in alinement when the centering washers seat in the recesses as shown in Figure 6.

Trained about the pulley 58 is a belt 15 also trained about a driving pulley 16 on the shaft of-an electric motor 11 rigidly secured to brackets 18 and 19. The bracket 18l is of U shape, and is mounted on the tie rod I3, whereas the bracket 19 is secured to the upper section 80 of a longitudinally adjustable post 8|, the lower section 82 of which i a sleeve nut receiving the upper section and being reduced in diameter at its lower end to provide a shank 83 seating in an opening in a brace member 84 secured at one end to the tie rod `I3, and at its other end to a U-shaped bracket mounted on the tie rod I2. By rotating the nut section 82 of the post 8| in one direction or the other, the motor 11 will pivot about the axis of the tie rod I3 so as to be raised or lowered and hence to increase or decrease the tension of the belt 15 to obtain maximum power Atransmitting efficiency therefrom.

Hinged at 86 on the bracket 85 is a guard or delector 81 which covers the upper portion of the cutting element C and projects downwardly and rearwardly thereof as shown in Figure 2. The guard S1 is suspended from the hinges 86 for vertical pivotal adjustment about the latter by a hanger 88 composed of an upper rotatable section 89 forming a sleeve nut, and a lower threaded section 98 pivoted on an ear 9| on the bracket 84, and passing freely through an opening in an arm 92 on the bracket 85 into the section 89. A screw plug 93 closes the upper end of the section 89 so as to releasably retain the nut in a `selected position of adjustment. By means of the adjustable hanger 88, the guard 81 can be raised or lowered to deflect cuttingsfrom the element C more or less downwardly to prevent clogging of the element with cuttings, and to compensate for diierent vertical positions of the element in making cuts of various depths.

Pivotally mounted on the tie rod I3 is a ground engaging member in the form 0f a yoke arm 95, at the lower end of which is journaled a small wheel 99. A longitudinally adjustable strut |88 connects the arm 99 with the handle 25 and comprises two sections |8I and |82 pivotally connected together at |83 and respectively connected pivotally at |84 and |85 to the arm 99 and handle 25 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. v

Pivotal movement between the sections |8| and |82 in one direction to a position in which they are in parallelism and from a strut of maximum length is limited by a stop |86 on the section IDI, and the sections are adapted to be releasably retained in this position by a sleeve |81 which is slidably mounted on the section |82 and is adapted to receive the overlapping portions of both sections as shown in Figure 2.

With the strut |88 adjusted to dispose its sections |8I and |02 in the minimum operative angular relationship shown in Figure 3, the sleeve |81 is adapted to enter a notch |88 in the section |8| to lock the sections in this position, Whereas with the strut adjusted to a position intermediate those shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sleeve |81 is adapted to enter a second notch |89 in the section |8I to lock the sections in such position.

It will be clear that with the Wheels |4 and the wheel 99 resting on a at surface such as a sidewalk, adjustment of the strut from the straight position shown in Figure 2 will lower the handle 25 and hence raise the cutting element C by virtue of pivotal movement of the handle 25 about the axis of the wheels I4. Assuming for example, that a light cut is t0 be taken, and that the strut |88 is in the position of adjustment shown in Figure 2, the knob 31 is rotated until the cutting element is lowered sufficiently to touch the at surface on which the machine is resting, and as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The strut |88 is now raised to the idle position shown in broken lines in Figure 2, and is maintained in this position by a spring wire coil stirrup I I8 suspended from the handle 25 and adapted to be stretched over the strut. As the working position in which theA handle 25 is normally maintained by the operator during operation of the machine is slightly higher than that resulting from the above described adjustment of the cutting element, the latter wil1 be lowered slightly from the position shown in Figure 2 so as to take a light cut in the lawn surface.

However, with the strut adjusted as in Figure 3, and the cutting element C further lowered by adjustment of the knob 31, as also shown in this figure, the handle 25, when held in the same operating position by the operator as above described, will lower the cutting element a considerably greater distance so that the element will take a deeper or heavier cut in the lawn surface. Thus it will be clear that the strut I U and its associated parts constitute a setting or gauging means to approximately predetermine the depth of cut which will be taken with the handle 25 held by the operator at the angle most convenient for guiding the machine as it is pulled forwardly over the lawn by rotation of the cutting element in the counterclockwise direction of the arrow in Figure 2.

It will be noted that small idler wheels I I2 are journaled in arms I I3 projecting from the frame members IE) and II, and are adapted to co-act with the main supporting wheels I4 in providing a four wheel support on which the machine can be rolled from one place to another with the cutting element sufficiently elevated to be protected against damage.

It will be clear that by virtue of the construction and mounting of the cutting element C as above described, the element is rendered quickly demountable from the frame F for any maintenance operation required, and is rigidly supported in the frame with the bearings 56 in alinement. and the axle 40 in parallelism with the shaft of the motor I'I so as to insure maximum mechanical efliciency.

I claim:

l. In a machine of the class described, a frame; a working element mounted in the frame; Wheels; means rotatably mounting the wheels on the frame and for adjustment relatively thereto in a vertical direction when the machine is in a working position, to vary the vertical relationship of the wheels and working element; a handle; means pivotally mounting the handle on the frame for adjustment to vary its upward and rearward angular relationship to the frame; a feed screw journaled in the frame; a slide mounted in the frame and operatively connected to the handle; a nut carried by the slide and threaded on the feed screw for actuation of the slide to angularly adjust the handle in response to rotation of the feed screw; and means operatively connecting said wheel mounting means to the handle, by which said adjustment of the latter will vertically adjust the wheels a predetermined amount.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame; a working element mounted in the frame; wheels; means rotatably mounting the wheels on the frame and for adjustment relatively thereto in a vertical direction when the machine is in a working position, to vary the vertical relationship of the wheels and working element; a handle; means pivotally mounting the handle on the frame for adjustment to vary its upward and rearward angular relationship to the frame; a feed screw journaled in the frame; a slide mounted in the frame and operatively connected to the handle; a nut carried by the slide and threaded on the feed screw for actuation of the slide to angularly adjust the handle in response to rotation of the feed screw; said wheel mounting means including axles for the wheels; and links operatively connecting the axles to the handle by which said adjustment of the latter will vertically adjust the wheels a predetermined amount.

3. In a machine of the class described, a frame; a working element mounted in the frame; wheels; means rotatably mounting the wheels on the frame and for adjustment relatively thereto in a vertical direction when the machine is in a working position, to vary the vertical relationship of the wheels and working element; a handle; means pivotally mounting the handle on the frame for adjustment to vary its upward and rearward angular relationship to the frame; means co-acting with the frame and handle by which the latter can be adjusted and locked in a selected position of angular adjustment relative to the frame; means operatively connecting said wheel mounting means to the handle, by which said adjustment of the handle wil1 effect a predetermined vertical adjustment of the wheels; an arm pivotally mounted on the frame co-axially of the handle and having a ground-engaging portion; and a longitudinally adjustable strut operatively connected to said member and handle, by which the latter can be selectively supported in vertically different angular positions relative to the ground, to enable the working depth of said element to be varied in response to a predetermined vertical adjustment of the wheels.

4. In a machine of the class described, a frame; a working element mounted in the frame; wheels; means rotatably mounting the wheels on the frame and for adjustment relatively thereto in a Vertical direction when the machine is in a working position, to vary the vertical relationship of the Wheels and working element; a handle; means pivotally mounting the handle on the frame and for adjustment to vary its upward and rearward angular relationship to the frame; means co-acting with the frame and handle by which the latter can be adjusted and locked in a selected position of angular adjustment relative to the fra me; means operatively connecting said wheel mounting means to the handle, by which said adjustment of the handle will effect a predetermined vertical adjustment of the wheels; an arm pivotally mounted on the frame co-axially of the handle and having a ground-engaging wheel; pivotally connected strut sections; means respectively connecting the strut sections to said arm and handle respectively, for adjustment of the strut sections to dispose the handle in vertically different angular positions relative to the ground; and meansl for releasably retaining the strut sections in a selected position of adjustment, whereby to enable the working depth of said element to be varied in response to a predetermined vertical adjustment of the wheels.

SEGFRID J. LINDSKOG. 

